You can use different email addresses with your Handshake account over time—for example, starting with your school email as a student and switching to a personal email after you graduate. There are two main ways to update your email, depending on your situation:
- Access to current account: Add a new email and set it as your primary.
- No longer have access to your school email: Contact your career center to request an update.
Access to current account
If you’re a current student and want Handshake messages sent to a different email, the simplest option is to add a new email and make it your primary address.
This allows you to:
- Add a personal (alternate) email
- Set it as your primary so Handshake and your school send messages there
For step-by-step instructions, refer to Update Your Primary Email Address in Handshake.
No longer have access to your school email
If you’re an alum and can’t access your old school email—or you’ve changed schools and no longer have access, contact the school’s career center and ask them to update the email on your Handshake account.
They’ll start the email change process for you.
Important: The new email address must not already be associated with any Handshake account (student, employer, or career services)
If you already created another account with that email:
- You'll need to request that the account be deleted
- Once it’s removed and the email address is freed up, your school can update your original account to use that email
How the Email Change Process Works (School-initiated change)
After your career center submits the request, you’ll receive two emails from Handshake.
Email #1 (sent to your old email)
Purpose: Notifies you that a change was requested
- From: Handshake handshake@m.joinhandshake.com
- Subject: Handshake Email Change Request
This email lets you know a request was made and directs you to check your new email for next steps.
Email #2 (sent to your new email)
Purpose: Confirms and verifies your new email
- From: Handshake handshake@m.joinhandshake.com
- Subject: Handshake Email Change Request
This email includes:
- Your old and new email addresses
- A verification code
- A Change Email button
How to confirm the change
- Open Email #2 and click Change Email
- Make sure you remain logged into Handshake under your old email address in order to make this update.
- Enter the verification code from the email
- Click Finish Email Change
If everything is valid, your email will be successfully updated.
Note: The Change Email link expires after 12 hours. If it expires, contact your career center to restart the process.
Troubleshooting tips
- Link not opening? Try a different browser (like Chrome or Firefox)
- Not receiving Handshake emails? Check your spam and junk mail. Add Handshake to your address book with the following contact email: "handshake@m.joinhandshake.com".
-
“No account on file” message?
- Go back to Email #2 and select Change Email again
- Make sure you enter your old email if prompted
-
Having trouble logging in with SSO after the change?
- You may need to reset your password
- Use the “Reset password” option on the login page and follow the steps in Reset the Password for a Student Account in Handshake.
If you’re still unable to access your account, contact your school’s career center or Handshake Support for help.
Switching schools and using more than one Handshake account
If you start attending a new school that uses Handshake and receive a new school email, it’s best to create or claim a separate account for that email. This allows you to stay connected to both schools while each one manages its own data and services.
You can continue using both accounts—one for each school.
For your previous school’s account, consider updating the email to a personal address so you can keep access after you graduate or transfer.
Important:
- Each email address can only be used on one Handshake account at a time
- If your personal email is already linked to your old school’s account, you won’t be able to use it for a new account unless that email is first removed or the original account is deleted
- Handshake does not support merging or combining student accounts from different schools into a single account